December 2008 Grocery Challenge

Free_in_Three

Hi Gailey

I have a seperate bit put aside for Christmas goodies. We are out for Christmas day so dont need much, just a bit of nice cheese really. I did a big shop in November to stock up so went over budget and set dec low thinking I wouldnt need much. I need to keep away from the shops!!

Rosiben thanks for your suggestions. I like the idea of the list with dates on. I am intending to make yet another cupoard in to a store so that will be very useful.

Thanks

Free in Three

taka

Sylvan wrote: »

Ginger - you can freeze it and just grate the amount you want at a time.

Ohhh thanks for that tip... Now I'm more organised and have a proper store cupboard I tend to only do a top up shop at the shops I pass to and from work for fruit, veg and dairy stuff. Annoyingly none of them seem to stock fresh ginger and I love the stuff.

Sylvan

rosieben wrote: »

I list everything in my extra stockpile (plastic crates with tight fitting lids) including the dates so I can be sure of using things up in rotation.

Thanks rosieben. That's much less work than my normal method of emptying the cupboards to put the new stuff at the back!

I have a related question:

We've moved to a house with high ceilings (the boys can't get used to not having to duck any more:rotfl:) and the chimney breast in the dining room (new kitchen) is almost as deep as a base unit. The boys are putting in a row of units with worktop and, behind them, in the alcoves, larders going right up to the ceiling. The wall units (on the chimney breast) will also be higher than usual, in order to fit a deep shelf below them, so I don't stand a chance of reaching the top shelves of those either.
What would be the best things to put in those inaccessible cupboards?

Also, how long can you keep HM jams, chutneys and pickles?

Thanks:D

Money_saving_Diva_2

Hi everyone!

Belfastgirl23 - thank you so much for replying so directly to me. I guess part of the problem is that I am virtually housebound, so my OH does all the shopping. I do an online big shop about every 3 weeks but he has to pop into Asda or Lidls or sainsburys etc to top up on the things you run out of all the time.

Plus he works two jobs and one of them is a late night finish so he stops off at a shop somewhere to buy chocolate and then always finds something else to buy... He isn't all bad and he does try hard but he has no will power and on evenings when he is really tired,it doesn't take much for us to end up having a take away. He was SO good during Sept and October - maybe it was the novelty or something, but once the weather changed and he started to feel a little more stressed over money, it's almost like he went out and started spending MORE. I don't understand it, but I do know how lucky I am to have a guy who works two jobs and looks after me too, it's just that we are gradually slipping into debt and I can't let that happen.

Anyway, still prising all the receipts out of him for the things he has spent this month so far and then will sort out my signature. We ate from the store cupboard and freezer last night so that was great! Chinese egg fried rice and chicken with peppers... very nice indeed!

Hope everyone is doing well with their personal challenges.

Diva.x

shelovestobuystuff

Can you add me to the December challenge please,bit late but have only just added up my November spend today,under budget again:D .
For December I have a £ No spend Limit and I will just see what I spend in December with all the extra wine and cakes etc we will be buying.I will keep a spend tally and see if my frugal habits continue as well as they have been in December too.
Spent so far £26.93.(living on stovies so far to compensate for the extra expense expected this month)
This will be a VERY,VERY expensive month for us as on top the christmas day and boxing day food and drink we also have 3 family birthdays which we hold dinner parties for.

rosieben

Sylvan wrote: »

... so I don't stand a chance of reaching the top shelves of those either.
What would be the best things to put in those inaccessible cupboards?

Also, how long can you keep HM jams, chutneys and pickles? ...

I'm glad I don't live in your house - my son reckons that everyone over the age of 10 is taller than me so I'm not much help with the high storage!

Jams, chutneys etc have best by dates on them, but once the jar is opened I use it up asap. I keep opened jams in the fridge but not chutney, don't ask me why

Sylvan

rosieben wrote: »

my son reckons that everyone over the age of 10 is taller than me

hehe, me too. The only one who's actually shorter is my daughter. The littl'uns are 15 inches taller than she is. They stand on either side of her and introduce her as "Our big sister":rotfl:

I was wondering how long I could keep the home-made jams and chutneys.

rosieben

Sylvan wrote: »

I was wondering how long I could keep the home-made jams and chutneys.

:doh: sorry

hm preserves should keep well from one year to another but mine don't usually last that long

redmel1621

Got my Asda delivery, everything came as expected with only 2 subs...which were fine. The van was sat outside at 2mins to 7pm and he knocked at exactly 7pm (I had a 7-9 slot). I spent £68, and seemed to get loads.

Just one question please, My two boys, well the oldest one in particular (8) love fruit. Now I would love to be able to let them have as much as they want but it is quite pricey to buy and therefore I find myself turning them away sometimes. I then feel very guilty for this as I would prefer them to eat loads of fruit. What do you do?? Do you just let your kids eat as much fruit as they want or do you limit it because of costs???

Mel x

cw18

My kids never ate much fruit, and DH and I ate it in fits and starts..... as such I got sick of throwing fruit away and changed to stocking up on -- and using -- loads of tinned fruit (seemed to work out cheaper too).